Information for Educators

Elementary and Junior High school children get differing amounts of encouragement to attend college. One of the goals of the "I'm College Bound" program is to make sure that every child sees that they can go to college too. The program brings students from Arizona State University into school classrooms. The idea is that the children relate well to college students, and see them as role models. The children are encouraged to ask questions about college and student life.

The other goal of the program is to bring science into the elementary school classroom. The ASU students perform demonstrations related to selected science topics. The demonstrations are fairly standard and are commonly used in schools. What is new, however, is that they are integrated with lesson plans, and an assignment is specifically written for each demonstration. The idea is to avoid cute demonstrations that are a distraction from the normal curriculum, and to make the experience educational. In general, the educational goals are simple, usually only one or two concepts are emphasized. The demonstrations are also integrated into the classroom reading, writing and science curricula, and the Arizona Department of Education Science Standards.

The program is not an official ASU or Mesa Public Schools initiative. It is small and currently involves only Kino Junior High School. The primary reason for this is simply that it is run by the organizers in their spare time. However, by keeping the program small, a safe and worthwhile experience can be assured for both the children and students.